When you try to connect a Windows Vista-based computer to a network printer whose name is not a UNC path, the connection fails

When you try to connect a Windows Vista-based computer to a network printer whose name is not a valid Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path, the connection fails.

This problem affects some third-party printers. If a third-party printer provider does not use a UNC path to name a printer, you cannot connect the computer to the printer.

This problem occurs because of a design change in Windows Vista.

Windows operating systems use the AddPrinterConnection function to add a connection to a printer on a network. In Windows Vista, a check in this function makes sure that the printer name is a valid UNC path.

However, the printer name may not be a UNC path. For example, you can also name the printer by using a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) such as "ipp://1.2.3.4/ipp". However, because of the new check in Windows Vista, the connection fails even if the URI is valid.

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Vista. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Update information

The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Windows Vista, 32-bit versions (all languages)

Download the Update for Windows Vista (KB941542) package now. (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=B9837BAB-E6C0-45C7-8A3A-F35DD896858B&displaylang=en)

Windows Vista, 64-bit versions (all languages)

Download the Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB941542) package now. (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=0CCFD0E4-E881-487F-83E2-089D07DC2CB3&displaylang=en)

Release Date: October 23, 2007

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement

You have to restart the computer after you apply this update.

Update replacement information

This update does not replace any other updates.

Registry information

To use one of the updates in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

File information

The English version of this update has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Vista, 32-bit versions

Windows Vista, 64-bit versions

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Vista Service Pack 1.

For more information about the AddPrinterConnection function, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: